Market Durban 22 October 2013
On my way to work, this morning, I saw 4 Police vans. They had black garbage packets in the back of their vans. I wondered, as I walked, puffing a cigarette, "Since when have Police started collecting garbage?" But it seems that it wasn't only garbage they were collecting. I saw one Police lady, in uniform, walk up to a stall yagogo (gogo means granny in Zulu) and force her to spill all her vetkoek/magwinya (a South African style dumpling) into the packet. I put two and two together. Looking saround, I saw that many other stalls were being attacked like this.
Who briefed these Police to crack down on Market? When were they briefed? Is there a connection to the Department of Health? Because the food tends to be out in the open. But most people don't mind. and if one doesn't wanna buy it, then one just won't. no one is forced to sell or buy at Market. People are just trying to make a buck. These old ladies are 60 and over, alot of the time, just trying to make money to feed their HIV/AIDS, drug and crime damaged families. The youth are out at Market selling bogus memory cards and airtime, or pre-registered SIM cards from every network. The taxis were inconvenienced by the sting operation, being blocked and unhappy at the disturbance.
But I ask why now? Is there not a safer way to make the city clean? To actually facilitate and motivate cleanliness and sanitation? They were spilling foods, man. Wasting it. i saw at least 20 black packets, huge ones, filled with wares. The Police weren't sweeping or cleaning up, they were going directly after the vendors.
Market, at Warwick Junction. is a place that produces millions of Rands a day. The Taxi industry is always busy, the vendors are always selling their wares. There are butcheries, a train station, 3 bus terminal, even a traditional medicine market and countless marijuana dealers. Yet this place looks like shit. No doubt, the place could look better. I saw old ladies, who keep their stalls clean every day, hustling and bustling to save their deep fried fish and wors wares. Some were sweeping in areas where they usually don't trying to save face and hopefully their items.
Me? I was late for work. No time to take pictures or even talk to the Police. I was trapped in my own world of responsibilities and just had to grab a taxi for the 15 minute taxi ride to work. Yet I cannot ignore that South Africa and the Municipality of Durban is once again attacking the have-nots. There's no system in place here that seems to be conducive to informal marketing. Market was built and structured by the people. Every time the government has intervened it has been ugly, violent and unproductive. They stop things. Police. I think it was L Ron Hubbard who said that the Police are a Stop Mechanism, not a Start one.
So what's happening, really and where did the mandate come from. Who gave the order to attack and inconvenience the poorest of the poor? Who is sitting in an office while, at 7h30, women and men, the old and young, are set up already, waiting to sell you breakfast and lunch while you head anywhere in the greater Durban Municipality. Market transport is the nerve center of transport in Durban. Even the Municipal bus depot is there. I need to get to the bottom of this. i hope this story is trending. And if it isn't, it should. I am only one of millions of people who go through Market every day. we must speak or die in silence, while they write the orders of the day. While they set the stage and demolish our intentions. This cannot stand.
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If you're on Twitter, use #MarketDbn in your posts when discussing this. We must speak. We must expose them. We must stop systems that destroy, kill and don't create.We are the Bureau of Sabotage.
Who briefed these Police to crack down on Market? When were they briefed? Is there a connection to the Department of Health? Because the food tends to be out in the open. But most people don't mind. and if one doesn't wanna buy it, then one just won't. no one is forced to sell or buy at Market. People are just trying to make a buck. These old ladies are 60 and over, alot of the time, just trying to make money to feed their HIV/AIDS, drug and crime damaged families. The youth are out at Market selling bogus memory cards and airtime, or pre-registered SIM cards from every network. The taxis were inconvenienced by the sting operation, being blocked and unhappy at the disturbance.
But I ask why now? Is there not a safer way to make the city clean? To actually facilitate and motivate cleanliness and sanitation? They were spilling foods, man. Wasting it. i saw at least 20 black packets, huge ones, filled with wares. The Police weren't sweeping or cleaning up, they were going directly after the vendors.
Market, at Warwick Junction. is a place that produces millions of Rands a day. The Taxi industry is always busy, the vendors are always selling their wares. There are butcheries, a train station, 3 bus terminal, even a traditional medicine market and countless marijuana dealers. Yet this place looks like shit. No doubt, the place could look better. I saw old ladies, who keep their stalls clean every day, hustling and bustling to save their deep fried fish and wors wares. Some were sweeping in areas where they usually don't trying to save face and hopefully their items.
Me? I was late for work. No time to take pictures or even talk to the Police. I was trapped in my own world of responsibilities and just had to grab a taxi for the 15 minute taxi ride to work. Yet I cannot ignore that South Africa and the Municipality of Durban is once again attacking the have-nots. There's no system in place here that seems to be conducive to informal marketing. Market was built and structured by the people. Every time the government has intervened it has been ugly, violent and unproductive. They stop things. Police. I think it was L Ron Hubbard who said that the Police are a Stop Mechanism, not a Start one.
So what's happening, really and where did the mandate come from. Who gave the order to attack and inconvenience the poorest of the poor? Who is sitting in an office while, at 7h30, women and men, the old and young, are set up already, waiting to sell you breakfast and lunch while you head anywhere in the greater Durban Municipality. Market transport is the nerve center of transport in Durban. Even the Municipal bus depot is there. I need to get to the bottom of this. i hope this story is trending. And if it isn't, it should. I am only one of millions of people who go through Market every day. we must speak or die in silence, while they write the orders of the day. While they set the stage and demolish our intentions. This cannot stand.
==================================================================
If you're on Twitter, use #MarketDbn in your posts when discussing this. We must speak. We must expose them. We must stop systems that destroy, kill and don't create.We are the Bureau of Sabotage.
This happened in Hillbrow, Johannesburg today. Accompanied by rubber bullets, while the kids were coming home from school. Traders merchandise was even scattered across the roads, people running away in fear.
ReplyDeleteThey are attacking a symptom, not the cause. Backwards.
So there was overt violence in Hillbrow. Thanks for this news. It's important that we see and expose. I cannot express my rage and disgust at the efforts of the SAPS.
ReplyDeleteThis is abhorrent. I thank you for sharing this story, not only to expose the SAPS and their onslaught against the poor in Durban (they're eviscerating Durban culture indirectly), but also for notifying me of a place to obtain traditional medicines.
ReplyDeleteBrother did you say "Talk to the police ..." Well, I have tried that one before and so did Khuli Chana , the thing is people in authority tend to see themselves as inherently superior and if you show that you know your rights and are willing to defend others, you are basically treading on their toes or impeding the course of justice. Its a paradox I know, the defenders become the offenders and they take offense at others ...
ReplyDelete